Using Acronyms

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AAA
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Using Acronyms

Post by AAA »

I know there is a previous thread asking what the acronyms used here stand for, but I wish their liberal use could be discouraged somehow, especially when they are used in the thread title. In such a case I usually have no idea whether the thread would be of interest to me. If the acronym could be translated at least once when first used, that would help greatly. There was a recent thread titled Path to UHNW. Yes, I googled it (and realized the thread is not relevant to me) but why make potentially hundreds of people have to do that? Or typically there's a question like VMABC vs. VMXYZ. Okay, at least these would probably be Vanguard funds, but I'm sure a lot of people have to look them up. It just gets a bit frustrating at times IYKWIM*.

*if you know what I mean
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by k1982 »

what does VE mean? it is used a lot when people talk about renewable energy/Tesla etc which I personally know nothing about

that is why I'm an index investor :)
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by livesoft »

You have made your case which is about all one can do. Like many things in life, do not expect everybody else to meet your expectations.

I would like a "No complaining nor ranting" day that would eventually lead to a "No complaining nor ranting" week every month. I am not holding my breath.
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BL
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by BL »

AAA wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:39 pm I know there is a previous thread asking what the acronyms used here stand for, but I wish their liberal use could be discouraged somehow, especially when they are used in the thread title. In such a case I usually have no idea whether the thread would be of interest to me. If the acronym could be translated at least once when first used, that would help greatly. There was a recent thread titled Path to UHNW. Yes, I googled it (and realized the thread is not relevant to me) but why make potentially hundreds of people have to do that? Or typically there's a question like VMABC vs. VMXYZ. Okay, at least these would probably be Vanguard funds, but I'm sure a lot of people have to look them up. It just gets a bit frustrating at times IYKWIM*.

*if you know what I mean
+1
Totally agree. If folks don't bother to spell out the funds, I have often quit looking them up.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by framus »

Sometimes it seems that the acronyms here are equivalent to some sort of secret handshake that only true Bogleheads communicate with. As an agnostic, I've yet to fully comprehend these. :oops:
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by cheese_breath »

OP, I agree with your comments regarding overuse of acronyms. But what does AAA stand for?
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Conch55 »

But what does AAA stand for?
:D
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Nicolas »

Using my iPad I can highlight any acronym and instantly look up its meaning, even urbanisms. So not a problem for me. LMAO! :D
Last edited by Nicolas on Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Silverado »

What does AAA stand for?

Where is the line?

Is IRA allowed? Likely.

APR? Perhaps.

ER? Perhaps.

TLH? Getting close to the line with that one.

FOMO? Don’t get it, so don’t care.

The obscure fund symbols? Of course not, but something like VTSAX? Hmmmm.

I see someone beat me to the first line...

Not everyone is fluent in math terms, so % should be spelled out, right?

I am fine with any of it. I don’t even mind the redundancy of PIN number. If I need to go look something up I likely am learning more than just what XYZ stand for.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by the way »

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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Onlineid3089 »

k1982 wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:45 pm what does VE mean? it is used a lot when people talk about renewable energy/Tesla etc which I personally know nothing about

that is why I'm an index investor :)
VE clearly stands for Victory in Europe. Not sure what Tesla or renewable energy has to do with it :beer
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by AAA »

livesoft wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:48 pm You have made your case which is about all one can do. Like many things in life, do not expect everybody else to meet your expectations.
Moderators can assist in meeting those expectations if enough people agree.
livesoft wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:48 pm I would like a "No complaining nor ranting" day that would eventually lead to a "No complaining nor ranting" week every month. I am not holding my breath.
You're not complaining, are you? :wink:
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by bottlecap »

cheese_breath wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:31 pm OP, I agree with your comments regarding overuse of acronyms. But what does AAA stand for?
This was my immediate thought.

If I don't know an acronym and don't care to find out, I just move on.

On the other hand, if no one uses acronyms, how will anyone ever learn what they mean?

JT
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by AAA »

cheese_breath wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:31 pm OP, I agree with your comments regarding overuse of acronyms. But what does AAA stand for?
Nice try, but most usernames here are undecipherable and anyhow not at all relevant to the content of threads they create. In my case, it's the highest quality bond rating (just like my threads are of the highest quality :happy ).
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by abuss368 »

I try to type things out on the forum to help readers. It is worth the extra effort.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by goingup »

I don’t feel as you do about acronyms. I figure if they are being commonly used I should learn them. Think of it as learning a new language. :happy
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

A helpful guide:

Abbreviations and Acronyms
From Bogleheads

Below are brief descriptions to assist new investors. A glossary of words relevant to investing concepts can be found here.

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Abbrevi ... d_Acronyms

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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Adfmacro »

Nicolas wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:36 pm Using my iPad I can highlight any acronym and instantly look up its meaning, even urbanisms. So not a problem for me. LMAO! :D
I am on an iPhone and just used the look up function. Thanks for the tip.

I think the AAA is for Acronym Avoidance Appreciated but the look up function was of no help.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Stinky »

This thread feels like deja vu, all over again.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by bikechuck »

This is a good thread. One point that has not yet been made is that the Bogleheads Forum provides an educational benefit to newer investors. I have recommended it to friends and family and have been told by more than one person that they felt lost in alphabet soup whe trying to read many posts. It made them give up on the community and feel as if this financial stuff was too complicated for them.

So if we want to be a welcoming community for all we should use acronyms sparingly.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

livesoft wrote:

You have made your case which is about all one can do. Like many things in life, do not expect everybody else to meet your expectations.

I would like a "No complaining nor ranting" day that would eventually lead to a "No complaining nor ranting" week every month. I am not holding my breath.


I think a permanent thread titled Vanguard Sucks because: (add rant material as appropriate)

Or, maybe a permanent thread titled I am a member of an elite group of 60,000* at Vanguard, and I no longer receive: (add rant material as appropriate)


*Can't swear the number is accurate, it comes from this February 22, 2017 article linked below. Of course in the three years since 2017, taking in the account of the raging bull market, the 60,000 Flagship member number has probably grown much larger.

But, being one of 60,000 surely makes one special, no?

https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/i ... ients.html

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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by whomever »

I think it would get pretty tedious if everyone spelled out:

"What's a good Annual Percentage Rate for a Certificate of Deposit, in particular one that is covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, that I can put in my Individual Retirement Account".

Of course, some people will say 'well, everyone knows what APR, CD, FDIC, and IRA mean' - except, of course, that some people don't. ISTM (It Seems to Me) that everyone knows some, but not others. It's kind of like people saying 'I'm middle class, people who make less than me are poor, people who make more are rich', which narrows down their salary to somewhere between $50k ($50,000.00) to $250k (250,000.00). Similarly, the acronyms I know are just fine, but the ones I don't know should not be used. Except that's not workable, because everyone knows a different subset.

I just figure them out, if I care enough.
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by oldcomputerguy »

This topic has run its course (general rant, going nowhere) and has been locked. See Locked Topics:
Moderators or site admins may lock a topic (set it so no more replies may be added) when a violation of posting policy has occurred. Occasionally, even if there are no overt violations of posting policy, a topic (or thread) will reach a point where the information content of the discussion has been essentially exhausted and further replies are much more likely to cause distress to the community than add anything of value.
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Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by HuckFinn »

[Thread merged into here, see below. --admin LadyGeek]

An unusual post for me and I hope it does not sound like a rant as it is not that serious but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? I feel like I can't be the only Boglehead that logs on each day and finds that for every ten minutes reading through posts they spend 10-15% of their time doing searches on the internet because of FOOUA?

What is FOOUA?

Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms.

My solution to the pet peeve is to define the acronym the first time it is used in the post. Such as:
"An unusual post for me but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? (Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms)?

:annoyed :happy
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by JediMisty »

Me, too! :sharebeer
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by samsoes »

As I've said before, non-intuitive acronyms are ubiquitous on this forum. At times, they make a posting unreadable, almost gibberish.
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by TNWoods »

OP,

ITA.

OYCFOWTOPMBISAPITA.

TNWoods
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by livesoft »

I never get frustrated, but just like when reading anything (books, reports, blogs, my spouse's mind, your mind) I always look up words I don't know the definition for. I never stop learning.
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by HuckFinn »

TNWoods wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:09 pm OP,

ITA.

OYCFOWTOPMBISAPITA.

TNWoods
"Or you can find out what the OP means by internet searching although pain in the ass." (I think I'm close :D )
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by Godot »

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:01 pm An unusual post for me and I hope it does not sound like a rant as it is not that serious but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? I feel like I can't be the only Boglehead that logs on each day and finds that for every ten minutes reading through posts they spend 10-15% of their time doing searches on the internet because of FOOUA?

What is FOOUA?

Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms.

My solution to the pet peeve is to define the acronym the first time it is used in the post. Such as:
"An unusual post for me but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? (Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms)?

:annoyed :happy
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by langlands »

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:14 pm
TNWoods wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:09 pm OP,

ITA.

OYCFOWTOPMBISAPITA.

TNWoods
"Or you can find out what the OP means by internet searching although pain in the ass." (I think I'm close :D )
holy cow :P
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by bampf »

ICCL. Just saying.
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by TNWoods »

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:14 pm
TNWoods wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:09 pm OP,

ITA.

OYCFOWTOPMBISAPITA.

TNWoods
"Or you can find out what the OP means by internet searching although pain in the ass." (I think I'm close :D )
The correct answer was "Often you can figure out what the OP means, but its still a pain in the ass," but I've consulted with the judges and they have decided to accept your answer! Congratulations!

TNWoods
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by qwertyjazz »

bampf wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:22 pm ICCL. Just saying.
I know the International Committee on Computational Linguistics should really regulate this stuff
If not the next thing we know, we will have new words and expressions. The English language has not changed for 2000 years. We must protect it. We might have some French words in the future too.
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by MarkRoulo »

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:01 pm An unusual post for me and I hope it does not sound like a rant as it is not that serious but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? I feel like I can't be the only Boglehead that logs on each day and finds that for every ten minutes reading through posts they spend 10-15% of their time doing searches on the internet because of FOOUA?

What is FOOUA?

Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms.

My solution to the pet peeve is to define the acronym the first time it is used in the post. Such as:
"An unusual post for me but do any other Bogleheads get frustrated by FOOUA? (Frequent Overuse of Unexplained Acronyms)?

:annoyed :happy
You are not the only one, but I suspect that lots of folks will draw the line in different places.

Some examples may not need spelling out:
  • Exchange Traded Fund (EFT)
  • Price to Earnings [PE] ratio
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
  • Certificate of Deposit (CD)
  • Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
But then we also have:
  • Exchange Traded Note (ETN)
  • Net Asset Value (NAV)
  • Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
And then ROI, NAV, NYSE, NSADAQ, AMEX, CBOE, IPO, SIV, ADR, ...

I expect that someone (probably even me!) could write a plug-in to insert the spelled out version of each of these into posts. But then I would expect other folks to be unhappy because the acronyms make things more readable for them than the spelled out versions. I think the realistic strategy is to just look up the ones you don't recognize and figure that over time you'll find that you know most of them.
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Re: Am I the only non-fan of FOOUA?

Post by TNWoods »

qwertyjazz wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:34 pm
bampf wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:22 pm ICCL. Just saying.
I know the International Committee on Computational Linguistics should really regulate this stuff
If not the next thing we know, we will have new words and expressions. The English language has not changed for 2000 years. We must protect it. We might have some French words in the future too.
Sack rob loo, I hope not.

TNWoods
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Re: Using Acronyms

Post by LadyGeek »

I merged HuckFinn's thread into the ongoing discussion. The combined thread is in the Forum Issues and Administration forum (acronyms).

See: Abbreviations and Acronyms

And: Re: Bookmarklet to lookup selected word in wiki's abbreviation table

The topic remains locked.
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